Police Seek Information on Oldham Robbery
In an appeal for information, Greater Manchester Police are urging the public to come forward with any details regarding a robbery that occurred near Failsworth Tram Stop in Oldham on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at approximately 22.00 GMT
The victim, a 17-year-old, and his friend were reportedly targeted by three young males aged between 16-17 years old. Two of the suspects forcefully pushed the victim to the ground in a threatening manner, brandishing a knife, and proceeded to rob him of personal belongings, including a coat and Apple AirPods. Simultaneously, the third suspect chased after the victim’s friend.
Prior to the incident, the offenders were observed alighting from the tram at Failsworth Tram Stop on Hardman Lane.
Police officers are seeking information from the public and are particularly interested in speaking to individuals captured in images related to the incident, as it is believed they may possess crucial information. Citizens are encouraged to share any relevant details by calling 101 and quoting log number 1178 of 27/12/2023.
Additionally, information can be reported via GMP’s website using the ‘tell us about’ tool: [www.gmp.police.uk](www.gmp.police.uk). For those who wish to remain anonymous, the independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted at 0800 555 111.
© Copyright TSC International News Channel 2024
Meta Announces Enhanced Safety Measures for Teen Users on Facebook and Instagram
Meta has announced a major change to the default settings for many of those who use social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.
The change will affect those under the age of 18 and help to create “age-appropriate experiences for teens” across its sites.
This forms part of an existing company policy to ensure under-18s are protected online.
Meta announces major default setting changes on Facebook and Instagram to protect under 18s
Parents will also be able to accept or deny changes made by their child on Facebook and Instagram. (Image: PA)
Speaking of the change, Meta stated: “Under this new default setting, teens can only be messaged or added to group chats by people they already follow or are connected to, helping teens and their parents feel even more confident that they won’t hear from people they don’t know in their DMs.
“This default setting will apply to all teens under the age of 16 (or under 18 in certain countries). Those already on Instagram will see a notification at the top of their feed letting them know we’re making these changes to their message settings.
“We’re also making these changes to teens’ default settings on Messenger, where under-16s (or under 18 in certain countries) will only receive messages from Facebook friends, or people they’re connected to through phone contacts, for example.”
In a later update to Facebook and Instagram, parents using the supervision tools will have the ability to approve or deny their child’s requests to change default privacy settings.
Until now, parents were only notified when their child made changes to the settings.
Under-18s will no longer be able to receive DMs from adults they do not follow on Meta-owned sites. (Image: PA)
Meta said: “For example, if a teen using supervision tries to change their account from private to public, change their sensitive content control from ‘less’ to ‘standard’, or – now – tries to change their DM settings to hear from people they’re not already following or connected to, their parent will receive a notification prompting them to approve or deny the request.
“As with all our parental supervision tools, this new feature is intended to help facilitate offline conversations between parents and their teens, as they navigate their online lives together and decide what’s best for them and their family.”
This comes as the company faces scrutiny over the impact of its services on the overall safety and mental health of younger users.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister faced calls to consider banning social media and smartphones for those under the age of 16.
Conservative MP Miriam Cates, who made the calls during Prime Minister’s Questions, said there had been a “marked increase” in poor teenage mental health since 2010 and called for stricter measures in response.
Collision Leads to Serious Injury Charge for Sussex Police PC
A police officer from Sussex Police faces charges of causing serious injury due to dangerous driving, linked to an incident in Bognor.
PC Tim Bradshaw is scheduled to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on April 4. This charge is connected to an event on November 3, 2022, where a police vehicle and an electric bike were involved in a collision on Hawthorn Road.
The Independent Office of Police Conduct reviewed the case and advised that Sussex Police should undertake a local investigation.
Sussex Police plans to evaluate potential misconduct actions after the completion of the criminal case.
Read more on www.Sussex.News
UK Government Retains Annual Car MOTs, Rejects Extension Plan
In a move applauded by road safety advocates, the UK government has decided to scrap plans to extend the time between car MOTs (Ministry of Transport tests). The proposed change, which aimed to require MOTs every two years instead of the current one-year interval, along with delaying a new car’s first MOT from the third to the fourth year, has been abandoned following public consultations.
The Department for Transport (DfT), suggested that the plan could potentially save Britons £100 million annually. However, critics, including safety experts and the AA (Automobile Association), raised concerns about the safety implications and contested the financial savings claim.
Experts argued that the annual MOT played a crucial role in identifying and addressing faults early, potentially saving motorists between £200 and £400, according to the AA. The DfT’s decision to retain the current MOT frequency was announced today.
Roads minister Guy Opperman stated, “We have listened to drivers and industry, and keeping MOTs in their current form shows once again that we are on the side of motorists.” The decision aligns with the preference expressed by a majority of drivers, with 83% of AA members, as per CEO Jakob Pfaudler, overwhelmingly supporting the continuation of the annual test.
While the plan to extend MOT intervals has been discarded, the DfT continues to explore potential changes to the MOT system, ensuring ongoing scrutiny of vehicle safety and maintenance standards on UK roads.
© Copyright TSC International News Channel 2024
Witness Appeal Following Burglary in Sheerness
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Police & Community Reunite Woman with Stolen Bicycle
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